Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1887-09-14

activity Of the elements; thence the
same matter does not long remain In
Its most Objectionable state, but from
the multiplicity Of bodies on every
hand a constant source OF pollution
mey be maintained.
Portable water. when ex posed to those
organic matters in process Of rapid de.
cay, meet, perhaps, their most fatal
sources Of material contamination.
That are readily detected by the eye
and tongue.
The principal source Of water supply
to wells, is the rain, and in the vicini-
ty Of q populous community the rain
reaches the surface Of the earth alrea-
dy polluted by the impurities Of the
town atmosphere. In towns, surface
soils are continually impurities of
household refuse, manure and sewer
liquors and Of dead and decaying
matter. These have by abundant ex-
amples. analysis of wells in many OF
the cities and towns of the United
States, been proved to be the most
dangerous of the ordinary contamina-
tions of shallow wells. The strictly
mineral impurities, TO which all wells
are to some extent subject, are not
usually injurious to human constitu-
tioDs. though In districts where lime
10 present in the soil in considerable
quantity the resulting hardness is in
convenient and indirectly expensive.
Mr.. Il. Sutton, an English analyst,
states. that "out Of four hundred and
twenty-nine samples Of water sent him
from wells In country towns, he was
obliged to reject three hundred and
seven as unfit for drinking" Another
English chemist states that "much of
the well water he is called upon 10 ex-
anime proves to be more fit for ferti-
lizing purposes than for human con-
sunptioD.n
Prof. Chandler, professor of chemis-
try in the school OF Mines, Columbia,
College, remarked: "In many cases
from the proximity Of cesspools and
privy vaults, the well water becomes
contaminated with filtered sewerage
matters, which while they hardly affect
the taste or smell of the water, have
nevertheless the power to create the
most deadly disturbance In the per-
sons who use the water"
Halls Journal of Health remarked
that, in the autumn many wells
which supply families with drinking
and cooking water, get very low and
their bottoms are covered with q fine
mud, largely the result Of organic de.
com positions, also containing poison.
Gus matters Of very concentrated
character. The very emanations from
this we'll mud are capable Of causing
malignant ievers in q few hour; hence
many families dependent on well
waters are made sick during the fall
of The year by drinking these I'M
preg mated poisons, and introducing
them directly into the circulation.
Many obscure ailments and dumb
agues are caused in this wsy.n
The man who permits his family
to use water impregnated with fecal
substances that the bodies Of other
persons or animals have already ex.
creted, and the authorities who per-
NIT their citizens to use such water,
open for them freely the gates to aches
and pains, weakness Of body and mind
and injuries Of tissues and blood, at
tacks of chronic disease and epidemlcs
and surely permits destruction ofthsii
vigor. shortens their average life, and
also degenerates the entire existenoe
Of the generation they are rearing u
succeed them, whom IL 10 their duty
to cherish and protect.
There 10 no community, there are
few families. and comparatively few
animsls without disease, and there d
no time when some virulent disease ID
not liable to exist.
The product Of humors and feveu
fo.oh tudiytdusl An lar~a mast -